CATWOMAN 1:
We open up with Catwoman ( Selina Kyle ) frantically getting dressed and collecting her cats as a group of masked men break into her residence. As she escapes she looks back and ponders why they are after her and before she can finish her thought she sees her place get blown up to pieces. She goes to Lola, which in her own words is an actual friend. She is directed to a place where she can stay til she can find something a little more permanent. On her way out she offers Selina a job. She goes undercover as a bartender at a Russian club that is frequented by the mob that they use to lay low and relax. She recognizes one of the people in the club and after a flashback she confronts him in the bathroom and proceeds to rearrange his face. After escaping the club she heads back to her temporary home and soon is confronted by Batman who asks if she is ok or not. She jumps him and after protesting for a little bit gives in and we are left with two half costumed heroes on the floor.
Rating : 2.5/5 - I've always liked Catwoman and she is drawn very well. Batman is always a plus in a book and the writer, Judd Winick, is usually on his A game. I guess for a first issue I expected more but nothing of real interest happened. If not for the art I would probably give this a 2. Hopefully things ramp up a bit more next issue.
BATMAN 1:
Book opens with Batman within Arkham Asylum battling some of his rogue's gallery , i.e. Two-Face, Killer Croc, etc. and before finishing them off seems to team up with the Joker. After the fight he goes and sees Commissioner Gordon and discusses how there was a man on the inside on the take and caused the potential break out. Once back at the Batcave it is revealed that the "Joker" really was Dick Grayson in disguise. After changing he goes up to the mansion to have a presentation on what he has planned for Gotham and what he plans to build. To much applause it is accepted as a great plan. He goes and mingles with the crowd an notices Gordon talking and lip reads what he is saying and figures out there has been a murder. He goes to the scene of the crime and finds a body attached to the wall via knives. He finds a secret message on the wall that states " Bruce Wayne Will Die Tomorrow ". He runs DNA he found on the victims body through Alfred back at the Batcave and it comes back matching Dick Grayson's.
Rating: 3/5 - A good read and starting off point. Mixed with fight scenes, some old foes and typical Bruce Wayne fare. Unlike the Catwoman issue this week there seems to be a purpose to the story and not just some random things happening with no really knowing what you are to think. Obviously having Dick's DNA at the crime scene is a plant but we shall see why in the next issue or so. Book looks promising but the art is a little chopping in some places. Needs to improve.
AVENGERS 17:
As like the last couple issues the story opens up with the interviews of the individual members discussing what has happened. The Avengers return to New York and as they contemplate what to next, Sin ( Red Skull's daughter ) appears and before anyone can do anything Hawkeye shoots her in the neck with an arrow. All that did was piss her off. Battle ensues with the New Avengers showing up and joining in. Under the rubble of Avengers Tower, Iron Man had a room which stored all of his unused armor. Under the Protector's control they were directed to attack Sin and after bringing more and more of New York's buildings down on her she rises up and teleports herself from the area leaving all the Avengers wondering what to do next. The last panel has Captain America stand up from his seat and says are we done and we find out all these interviews are for a book that will be coming out. Steve hopes the author dedicates it to Bucky.
Rating : 2.75/5 - Nothing of note really moves the overall Fear Itself story along here. Some nice battle scenes coupled with interviews is getting a little long in the tooth. The art at times looks sloppy but overall still good. Next issue we find out the all new Avenger team. The Fear Itself storyline has been leaving me wanting but the Avenger tie-ins have been the best so far.
X-MEN: SCHISM: 4
Issue opens up with Cyclops back at Utopia talking to Idie and what she did the previous issue. She is escorted away to be cleaned up. We go back to Wolverine as he is battling the Sentinel that is building itself out of all the metal around. As the robot builds itself an arm finally he zaps Wolverine away like a gnat. Its one directive is to go to Utopia and destroy it. From a distance Cyclops sees the incoming Sentinel and uses a full blast of his optic powers which drains him. The blast tears a whole through the Sentinel but we see it just patch itself up and continues its march to Utopia. Wolverine makes it to shore and we finally see the verbal battle that starts the "schism" between himself and Cyclops. They go back and forth on how kids should not be fighting (Wolverine) and even though they are kids they are X-Men first (Cyclops). The line is drawn in the sand and Cyclops says if you want to leave, leave but if you want to stand and fight, they can do it by his side. We see Wolverine get into costume and comes out and confronts Cyclops and tells him and everyone else to leave the island as he has rigged it to explode with the incoming Sentinel. Typical with the both of them they bring Jean into the conversation and off they go, the fight begins with the Sentinel just off in the distance. Back and forth they go til they are both under the palm of the Sentinel.... to be concluded.
Rating: 3/5 - Much better than the last issue. Though the reasoning of the actual split is pretty lame, the story at least moved along to its inevitable end. Not much dialogue but it was not needed for this issue. We know how the story ends we just don't know how it gets there from here. Issue gave me some hope that the final issue will be good.
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